He is risen!

Picture the scene. A group of distraught women go to Jesus’ tomb with spices they have prepared for his body. He was their beloved Saviour and friend, their promise for the future, and now he is dead. As they trudge wearily into the garden, joy transforms their grief as they hear those words for the very first time – He is risen! Forgetting their fear and tiredness, they rush to tell the terrified disciples: He is risen! He is risen!

And it’s still our joy too. Every year on Easter day, those words ring out around the world in a stream of joyful praise – He is risen! He is risen indeed! We celebrate a risen Saviour, whose death paid the penalty of sin so that we could know forgiveness and eternity with God.

But his death is about so much more. Isaiah wrote, ‘Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering’ (53:4). In his death, Christ took all our pain and suffering and destroyed its power. In his rising, he continues to bear it with us. And that is the source of our hope, the healing of our brokenness and the promise of our future.

Because he is risen, we are free to live in his grace. Because he is risen, we can reclaim our stolen personhood. Because he is risen, joy can transfigure our grief.

So this Easter, find a safe space to celebrate. If you can, sing, dance, paint or write. Maybe you have a special place where you can be quiet. As you breathe in, say, ‘He is risen!’ and as you breathe out, say, ‘So I have hope for my future’.